The summer is quickly approaching and it is so important to make sure that you stay cool during these hot months. Having a well functioning HVAC cooling and heating system is one of the most important parts of a home. It can really set the tone of the entire house and family. When talking about residential HVAC systems, there are a few things that you want to look out for. If you have recently moved into a new home, these things should have been checked beforehand, but if not, it’d be a good idea to find out now.
- How old is your air conditioning system?
If an air conditioner system has been well maintained for its entire life span then it should last anywhere from eight to 12 years. It will last longer at times but this is only for very well kept units. If you haven’t kept up with maintenance or doing things like replacing the filters every couple of months, you will shorten the life span of your system. In any case, if your unit is around 10 years old, it might be time to look into getting a new one. - Are your repairs getting more expensive?
As a unit gets older, the repairs seem to be magnified and be more expensive. If it seems like every time you get a quote for a repair, you’re breaking the bank, it might be time to replace the entire thing. An air conditioning unit should not be regularly breaking down if you are taking care of it properly. So, if you feel like you are constantly calling your contractor to come and fix a breakdown or look at leaks or other problems, the main issue may just be that the unit is old and it’s time for a new one. - How well is the unit cooling your home?
If your thermometer says 69 degrees but you are still sweating, chances are your unit is struggling. Once an air conditioning unit starts to get older, you can actually freeze it over a lot easier than in the beginning which causes more problems, more repairs and more money out of pocket to get it fixed. If you find that whatever temperature normally is good for your house, just isn’t working anymore and the weather outside hasn’t fluctuated much, you would probably benefit from having a unit installed that is more efficient. - Are your electric bills going up?
As air conditioners get older, they become less efficient and use up more energy. This is because the parts of the unit are having to work a lot harder than before and this will raise your electric bill considerably. Keep an eye on your bills or take a look at past statements to see if you seem to be using more energy or not. It could be a matter of getting better about turning off lights, but if you haven’t changed your habits, chances are, your air conditioning unit is old and needs replacing.
The best way to really know if your unit needs to be replaced is to seek the advice and opinion of a professional. Find someone who you trust, through a friend or a referral of some kind and have them come and take a look at your unit.
Remember that any AC company that is willing to give you a quote over the phone does not know what they are doing. You’ll need to have a serviceman come out and take a look at your home and current unit in order to be able to give you a quote for a new one. Without seeing these things he or she wouldn’t know what kind of unit would be the most efficient use of space. Most air conditioning companies will come and check things out for free and give you a free quote. Make sure that they know your budget and stick to it. Don’t let anyone try to convince you to may more if you know what you should be spending already. Of course, you want to be reasonable. You aren’t going to get a brand new air conditioning unit for $100 but the company needs to be reasonable as well and be willing to work with you.